RE: Vauxhall VXR8 GTS | Spotted

RE: Vauxhall VXR8 GTS | Spotted

Author
Discussion

Collaudatore

1,054 posts

201 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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J4CKO said:
Are these much quicker than an M4 despite the disparity in horsepower ? I know its not exactly the point but would be interesting to see how much there is in it.
Define "quick"

Ring laps?
0-60?
VMax?
1/4 mile?

MattM135i

86 posts

186 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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This car has been for sale at least 12 months.

It has been struggling to shift at that price.

liner33

10,640 posts

201 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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I test drove a VXR8, was considering buying new , I was coming from a 500hp supercharged 370z . With 3 people on board it really didn't feel fast nothing like the claimed hp , perhaps its the gearing. Didn't have the quality feel of a car at this price point either.

My wife was far more scathing, she described it as a fat Vectra which coming from someone who drive a Prius at the time was extremely harsh but funny smile

I love the idea of them but unfortunately the execution was lacking , I suspect however that once modified its a very different story

I bought a Jag XFR instead and had it modified to just over 600 hp/torque

a11y_m

1,861 posts

221 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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Comments above are exactly what I expected: you either ‘get’ or don’t ‘get’ these cars – they’re only going to appeal to certain folk. Which is fine. But I’ll say RWD, manual, great big V8 that sounds brilliant, and great handling, what’s not to like?

Yeah £42k is a lot and the fact it’s been for sale for ages says something, but similar ‘normal’ VXR8s still with >400bhp and often much more are way less than half that price. Not the full GTS experience admittedly, but I’ve not driven one so don’t know what I’m missing.

For many these cars ain’t about outright performance. I’ve got to say that as I’ve ‘only’ got 400bhp in mine and wouldn’t see which way a well-driven Golf R went on a twisty road. But do I care? fk no. All about the character for me.

Triumph Man

8,669 posts

167 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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Given a choice between this (but maybe not the colour!) and the C6 RS6 recently featured, I'd choose this. I've driven a lowly Commodore variant, the SV6, and even that seemed to have something about it.

SturdyHSV

10,083 posts

166 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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TypeRTim said:
Various posts 'getting it'
Software engineer
Northamptonshire
Love for Aussie cars...

Wait...scratchchin Are you... me? hehe


TypeRTim

724 posts

93 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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SturdyHSV said:
Software engineer
Northamptonshire
Love for Aussie cars...

Wait...scratchchin Are you... me? hehe
Wait...there are more of us???

dinkel

26,884 posts

257 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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rockin said:
dinkel said:

Ollie!
Ah yes, I remember that one. It was "quite quick" on the DSR! biggrin
Touching 300 kph if I'm correct Steve wink

kiwiIM

28 posts

67 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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Have had a CV8 since 2004. A few simple modes lift BHP to 420 or so (only an LS1), add a few suspension tweaks and its a fun car.
Starting to show its age at 145k miles but surprisingly little rust considering it has never been garaged and was my company car
for the best part of 8 years. Some satisfaction in out-dragging a DB9 and various hot Mercs / Audis /BMW's over the years and its
cheap as chips to service. 365 CO2 is a worry, I have never seem a less eco friendly vehicle.

leef44

4,359 posts

152 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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a11y_m said:
Comments above are exactly what I expected: you either ‘get’ or don’t ‘get’ these cars – they’re only going to appeal to certain folk. Which is fine. But I’ll say RWD, manual, great big V8 that sounds brilliant, and great handling, what’s not to like?

Yeah £42k is a lot and the fact it’s been for sale for ages says something, but similar ‘normal’ VXR8s still with >400bhp and often much more are way less than half that price. Not the full GTS experience admittedly, but I’ve not driven one so don’t know what I’m missing.

For many these cars ain’t about outright performance. I’ve got to say that as I’ve ‘only’ got 400bhp in mine and wouldn’t see which way a well-driven Golf R went on a twisty road. But do I care? fk no. All about the character for me.
Agreed, this is a bit like TVR.

It doesn't matter that the high power, power/weight ratio does not translate to road/track performance compared to German performance cars with DSG.

The agricultural feel makes it feel alive and visceral. You have to work at the gear shift then control the power with your right foot without much automated gadgetry and only two wheel drive. This is all part of the involvement and fun. The power and torque gives the exhilaration and knowing that's all mechanical sound and not synthesised throught the speakers. Lovely natural feel.

wormus

14,496 posts

202 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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J4CKO said:
Are these much quicker than an M4 despite the disparity in horsepower ? I know its not exactly the point but would be interesting to see how much there is in it.
It would murder an M4 once rolling and you can extract over 800hp from one without even opening the engine.

My Monaro has a forged LSA in it with a bigger supercharger. Over 60mph it annihilates pretty much everything. Very amusing.


HazzaT

449 posts

44 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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DaveyBoyWonder said:
a bright orange Vauxhall/Holden/etc that looks like its been designed by a testosterone fuelled Forza addict
You make that sound like a bad thing!

Fatboy

7,970 posts

271 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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Eazy71 said:
I can absolutely see the appeal. Here in Oz these are glorious relics of the old skool...in the UK they are gloriously mad! Even as a UK ex pat over here - I love them...not sure I’d like to tackle a northern England winter in one mind!!!
Not too bad at all - used my 2002 Ute as a daily driver for about 4 years... I did get it thoroughly waxoiled as soon as I bought it though...

BlackandWhite

353 posts

193 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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Totally get the appeal but that’s grown up money for a children’s toy. It’s a non from me.

ate one too

2,902 posts

145 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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That's a beaut ... where do I sign ? wink


daytonavrs

774 posts

83 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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Good cars, I've driven a friends round silverstone too (prior to him upgrading with walkinshaw)
I can understand how people can "not get it" but in equal measure can understand those who "do".
( but I've gone through same agonisation over buying something like a Jaguar XK)
I suppose the same way some might not know what a MG SV or ZTT is some may not get it

On performance side it seems pretty heavy and doesn't feel like a track toy, but a very characterful tourer with good looks.

One strange thing I found was ambitious friend at SantaPod having just upgraded to Walkinshaw whose own personal expectation was around 11s but after numerous runs hs best was 13.69(13.79 same day in my Skoda Octavia with 300hp)
I think he must have been burning up his tyres and could have done with some more drag specific ones perhaps or even more drag practice, although he's had a little more than me which isn't much either way.

(A 20mpg economy difference, older car, etc etc, wouldn't justify it for me but I went for a nice boring safe option)

I would say though, if I was spending 20+ I wouldn't end up with one of these but can appreciate the love alhough finance seems high. I think I'd be more interested in lightweight like Lotus something (I'd have a Vauxhall VX220 over one of these personally but we all have different attraction points)

If you cope with something thats a family sized car with looks that just turns heads and limited numbers, not bothered by the price, or detractors that just think of them amongst other vauxhalls, and not expecting it to be necessarily as fast as a lot of things you can't go too wrong. I think you've really got to get it and want one as in super saloons in its price category is plenty of competition though ( Kia etc).

Edited by daytonavrs on Tuesday 15th September 21:26

wormus

14,496 posts

202 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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They’re heavy cars with lots of torque and rwd. For quick qtr miles, you need drag radials. Supercharged VXR8 is perfectly capable of getting into the 10s.

limpsfield

5,870 posts

252 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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I think these are chav-tastic.

But I quite like them. Surprised they are that expensive.

romeodelta

1,113 posts

160 months

Tuesday 15th September 2020
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I had an orange Commodore SSV.

It's a fairly blunt instrument, heavy with 'boaty' suspension and a bit bogan, but bags of character and I loved it.

I can only imagine adding a supercharger takes it to another dimension. Like.


Gorbyrev

1,160 posts

153 months

Thursday 17th September 2020
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So man maths time. I wonder if the lack of depreciation balances out the fuel cost difference between this and a 2012 A6 3.0TDi. Twice the economy, third of the power, now worth about £10k in minty knick. Near enough!